This invention is related to mechanical decoupling devices for gear motors having a driven load, such as conveyor belts and the like, particularly cargo conveyor belts in an airborne environment.
In airborne applications gear motors are used to drive cargo conveyor belts, and the motors themselves are usually located below the cargo and are therefore inaccessible when the cargo is in place. In a typical application the gear motor incorporates a normally engaged brake which requires auxiliary power, electric or hydraulic, for release. Should auxiliary power be unavailable to release the brake, manipulation of the cargo is severly handicapped by the locked brake, thus necessitating disruption of the cargo movement operation in order to gain access to the gear motor. In such cases, therefore, there is a need for some kind of manual release so that the cargo movement operation can continue while the brake is being repaired or replaced.